Source: https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com, April 17, 2019
By: Joseph Brown
Huntsville has authorized a lawsuit against three contractors in a bid to recoup repair costs for structural issues at the hub for the city’s trash.
In January, city officials revealed that pavement for the driveway at the transfer station was cracking and crumbling, just 18 months after the near $3.6 million facility opened its doors. Officials later discovered that the contractor did not provide lime stabilization, did not install steel reinforcements nor did they deliver the desired concrete thickness, according to attorney Jeff Chapman of the Chapman Firm, who is representing the city in the litigation.
“The pavement at the transfer station was cracking, crumbling and deteriorating in a way that is not acceptable, and in a way that was not anticipated from the intended design and construction,” Chapman said.
The city’s lawsuit will be filed against the facilities designer Weaver Consulting Group, contractor-at-risk Anchor Construction and subcontractor Liberty Concrete.
“Anchor has triggered their insurance, and we are currently discussing a potential settlement,” Chapman added. “My firm is working proactively on behalf of the city to not let things lapse, we are taking steps now to draw up design and contracting documents so we can get the issues repaired without losing too much time.
“The council and city staff are fully committed to providing a facility free of defects. We are going to make sure that the city gets what it paid for.”
City officials did confirm that the structural issues at the facility are strictly with the driveway, and that the building and scales are functioning as designed.
In other action council members:
• Approved an ordinance calling for changes to the city’s development code. The changes will add multiple layers of regulation for purpose-built shared housing within the city.
• Approved the Huntsville Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan.
The next scheduled meeting of the Huntsville City Council is set for May 7.